A review into library provision in Bristol has been blasted for being “against the public’s wishes” by one city councillor.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Cotham Anthony Negus claims an independent investigation in to the affordability of Bristol City Council libraries is not looking at ways to maintain the service.

Instead, he has accused the authority of using the review to push through its original plan of closing 17 of the city’s 27 libraries.

Bristol City Council rejects the accusation and says it is looking at different ways of running a “core” library service

But Mr Negus claims Bristol residents have made it clear they want more than a basic or highly-reduced service.

“This is an affront to citizens and councillors who have worked within the democratic process to express their majority views and recommendations,” he said. “What they are doing is against the public’s wishes, it is not what they asked for."

Anthony Negus

Bristol City Council announced plans to slash £1.4 million from the library budget last February and ran a public consultation over the summer, asking people to choose the ten libraries they wanted to see remain open.

Residents overwhelmingly voted against the sweeping cull, and several passionate groups formed to protest against cuts to the service.

In November Mr Negus successfully passed a motion calling for the council to reexamine its closure plan and a week later, library services was given a stay of execution when Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees announced the authority had won government funding for a new review.

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Mr Rees said the independent review is tasked with assessing whether the service could be run more efficiently through private companies or trusts.

The council is also carrying out its own research in to the feasibility of joining libraries with other services, such as community organisations, police and health centres.

Bristol City Council library service review branded a ‘sham’

However, Mr Negus claims he has seen evidence which suggests the independent investigation is not sticking to its brief, on how to save as many libraries in the city as possible, and is instead creating more evidence to support the council’s initial proposal to close 17 sites.

“The two separate examinations are not directed at what the people and this council have requested. This administration has not listened, as it professed,” Mr Negus said.

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“Instead this city will end up with the same outcome as originally announced and all the un-favoured libraries will be cast off, with unsustainable minimal welcome packs for those few local residents who might bravely seek to take over and try to run with all the associated costs.

“This administration has an obligation to openly explain why it won’t respond to good advice for the benefit of its citizens and they should be held to account until they do.”

Deputy Mayor, Asher Craig

Mr Negus and several members of the council scrutiny committee have put forward and alternative option to the cuts, which includes keeping the majority of libraries open for two years before taking another look at the finances.

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The independent review into the library service is set to finish in the spring and a final decision on the fate of the city’s library service will be taken shortly afterwards.

Deputy Mayor for Communities Asher Craig said: “The types of models being considered [in the independent review] range from an in-house council-managed structure to shared community ownership models or third-party provision.

“Alongside this review the council is also using this time to conduct its own investigation into supporting a ‘core’ service with wider library provision across the city such as community-run libraries, libraries run by volunteers or shared or co-located services with city partners.”